Locking device for automotive vehicles



May 13, 1930. I F. D. HARDESTY LOCKING DEVICE FOR AUTOMOTIVE VEHICLES Original Filed Dec. 17. 1926 Patented May 13, 1930 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE FRANCIS D. HARDES'IY, OF FERNDALE, MICHIGAN LOOKING DEVICE FOR AUTOMOTIVE VEHICLES Application filed December 17, 1926, Serial No. 155,399. Renewed February 5, 1930.

The present invention relates to looking devices for automobiles and especially to dovices for automatically looking a control element when the vehicle is brought to a stop and the engine cut off.

In a prior application filed by the present applicant June 25, 1923, Ser. No. 647,438 on motor vehicle locks is described a lock which automatically releases the parts to permit looking a control elementwhen the engine ignition is turned off. In this device if the ignition is turned on again, the lock will nevertheless function to lock the part.

Among the objects of the present invention is therefore to overcome this objection and provide an automatic locking device which permits the engine to be turned oif and on again without interfering with the control of the vehicle so as to enable the driver to 0 utilize the engine for braking purposes.

Another object is a more economical arrangement for permitting energizing of the lock circuit.

Still another object is to provide means to signal the operator that the circuit is energized but that the vehicle has not yet been locked.

' WVith these and other objects in view as will readily appear to those skilled in the art the invention consists in the arrangement as illustrated in the accompanying drawings and such modifications and variations thereof as will come within the scope of the hereunto appended claims.

Reference should be made to the accompanying drawings, in which Fig. 1 is a horizontal section through a control element embodying the lock;

Fig. 2 is a vertical section through the same on line 22 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a horizontal section on line 3-3 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is a wiring diagram for the device; Fig. 5 is an enlarged view of a'portion of Fig. .3;

Fig. 6 is asection on line 66of Fig.

In theidr-awings asliding gear transmlsslon is shown in section at 10 and, though the device may be applied to other control elements, this is preferred. This transmission comprises a housing containing the gearing and the two shifter bars 11 movable by a lever shown in section at 12 in the conventional manner. These two bars 11 are each provided near one end with a socket 13 for the locking pins 14 which fix the bars against movement when the lock hasbeen actuated to insert the pins in the sockets.

The pins 14: are carried between two discs 15 located between the bars 11 and formed on or secured integrally to a lock barrel 16. Or the lock barrel 16 may have the upper disc as a part thereof with the lower disc and hub 17 connected thereto through the pins carrying the pins 1 1. In any event, these discs are arranged to partially rotate and the upper disc has secured thereto a lock barrel 16 while a hub 17 is secured to the lower disc.

The hub 17 is provided with a socket 18 into which a bolt or pawl 19 is adapted to drop so as to prevent rotation of the discs when the pins 14 are withdrawn from sockets 13. This withdrawal is accomplished by means of the key 20 and the rotation thereby of the barrel 16.

A spring 21 provided on hub 17 and anchored to the stationary part of the device, is arranged to be put under tension by the rotation of the discs to unlocked position so that, when the bolt 19 is withdrawn from. socket 18, the tendency is for the discs to rotate back and engage pins 14 with sockets 13 if these happen to be in line, as they will be if the shifter bars 11 are in neutral position. The lock then is to be unlocked with a key and maintained unlocked by the bolt 19 until the latter is withdrawn. Fig. 6 shows the arrangement of hub 17 and spring 21. This figure shows the spring coiled around the hub with one end anchored thereto and the other end anchored in the housing memher.

The means provided for withdrawing the bolt 19 is an electromagnet 30 adapted when energized to attract armature 31 formed upon the stem 32 of bolt 19, a spring 33 being provided to press the bolt 19 toward or into socket 18 when the magnet is not energized.

Thus far the structure of the present ,device is identical with one of the forms of lock shown and described in the prior application mentioned above. In the said application the magnet is momentarily energized by a circuit which is completed by turning on the ignition switch, an intermediate contact being provided therein between the on and 011" positions.

In the present device the magnet is energized at the off position of the ignition switch, the circuit remaining closed until the lock has functioned to lock the transmission orother control element, whereupon the circuit is automatically broken.

This function is illustrated best in Figs. 1 and 4 of the drawing. In these figures, the lower disc 15 is shown as provided with a notch 40 having one side abrupt and the other sloping so that when the disc is turned in the direction of the arrow (Fig. 4) the spring contact fingers 41 and 42 are pressed together. In this position the lock will be in unlocked position, and the circuit is then complete and ready to be energized.

The circuit is shown best in Fig. 4. On this figure the ignition switch is provided with the usual member carrying the two contact fingers 51 and 52 adapted to contact with but tons 53 and 54, the former connected to one pole of a battery 55 and the latter to the ignition circuit. The ignition on position is represented in full lines and the ignition off position by dotted lines. In the latter position the finger 52 is moved over into contact with button 53 and finger 51 into contact with a third button 56which is connected to one end of the coil of magnet 30. The other end of the coil of the magnet 80 is connected to contact finger 41 and the other contact finger 42 is connected to a ground return to the other side of the battery 55.

It will readily be seen, therefore that when the lock is in unlocked position, and, when the ignition switch is moved to the dotted line or 05 position, the magnet will be energized and the bolt 19 withdrawn. It under these conditions, the bars 11 are in neutral position, the discs 15 carrying pins 14 will rotate to insert the pins 14 into sockets 13 and at the same time allow contact members 41 and 42 to separate and break the circuit through the magnet.

In the present construction, the bolt 19 will be beveled at 19 so that when it is withdrawn and the discs have made a slight initial movement toward locked position, breaking the circuit by turning back the switch 50 to on position will allow the bolt 19 to reenter the socket 18 and again hold the parts unlocked. This arrangement makes it possible to turn otl the ignition and use the engine for braking and to again turn on the ignition without having to unlock the control element with a key as is the case with the prior device.

In order to warn the operator that the device is in condition to lock when the bars 11 are moved into neutral position a signal 60 may be inserted in shunt around the magnet 30. This signal may be either an audible or visible. signal.

Having now described the invention and the preferred form of embodiment thereof it is to be understood that the said invention is not to be limited to the specific details herein described and illustrated but only by the scope of the claims which follow.

I claim v i 1. In an automotive vehicle provided with a motor involving electric ignition, a switch therefor, and control mechanism including a manually operable part, a device included in said mechanism tending normally to lock said part, means for retaining said device in un locked position, electromagnetic means to release said retaining means, means adapted to energize an electric circuit through said electromagnetic means when the switch is in off position, and a circuitbreaker operable to break the said circuit when the locking device moves to locking position.

2. In an. automotive vehicle provided with a motor involving electric ignition, a switch therefor, and control mechanism including a part manually operable to a neutral or noncontrolling position, a device included in said mechanism tending to and operable to lock said part when in said neutral or non-controlling position, means for retainingsaid device in unlocked position, said device being also held substantially in unlocked position by said part when the latter is in controlling position, electromagnetic means to release said retaining means, means adapted to energize said electromagnetic means when the switch is in offlposition, and means to reestablish the unlocked position of said device when said electromagnetic means is energized and de-energized while said part is in controlling position. 5

3. In an automotive vehicle provided with a motor involving electric ignition, a switch therefor, and control mechanismincluding a part manually operable to a neutral or noncontrolling position, a device included in said mechanism tending to and operable to lock said part when in said neutral or non-controlling position, means for retaining said device in unlocked position, said device being also held substantially in unlocked position by said part when the latter is in controlling position, means to release said retaining means, said releasing means being operative when the switch is in off position and means to re-establish the unlocked position of said device when said releasing means has been rendered operative and inoperative while said part is in controlling position.

4. In an automotive vehicle provided with a motor involving electric ignition and control mechanism including a manually operable part, a locking unit included in said mechanism tending normally to lock said part; means for retaining said device in unlocked position, an ignition control unit remote from said locking unit, and means operated upon breaking the ignition circuit to release the retaining means.

5. The combination of an automobile having parts to be locked in fixed relation of locking means for said parts, an ignition circuit, a locking circuit, means for operating said locking means upon the completion of said locking circuit, and means for completing said locking circuit upon the opening of the ignition circuit, substantially as set forth.

FRANCIS D. HARDESTY. 

